This invention relates to a double wall safety hose apparatus for delivering water from a standard hose bib to an appliance or plumbing fixture that utilizes water. More particularly, this invention relates to a safety hose comprising inner and outer hoses that are sealably interconnected at each end so that water leaking from the inner hose wall is confined by the hose.
Various types of appliances, including washing machines and dishwashers as well as assorted plumbing fixtures, such as toilets and sinks, must be interconnected through a hose to a source of water. Conventional water hoses, which are normally composed of rubber or plastic, tend to wear and break down over time. Deterioration is caused, for example, by bending of the hose and the repeated passage of water through the hose. Hot water hoses are particularly susceptible to wear because of the stresses caused by repeated changes in temperature. Hose life is also affected by the water quality, water pressure, geographic locale and frequency of use. As the hose deteriorates, ruptures are likely to occur. Eventually, the hose may rupture or burst, which can result in flooding and serious water damage to the room or building in which the appliance or plumbing fixture is located, as well as items located therein. Aggravating and extremely expensive repairs may be necessitated.
Various techniques and procedures have been employed to combat leaks and ruptures in water hoses. Certain of these devices employ sophisticated electronic sensors that detect leakage in the hose and shut off the supply of water to the hose by closing a valve proximate to the hose bib. These products are invariably expensive and virtually impossible for most homeowners to install. They have not significantly reduced the problem of ruptured appliance or plumbing fixture hoses.
Renner, U.S. Pat. No. 4,930,549 discloses a technique for installing a pair of protective sleeves respectively on the hot and cold water hoses of a washing machine. A drainage hose is interconnected between the sleeves for conducting water that leaks from either of the hoses to a standard drain line. This procedure is complicated, time consuming, labor intensive and wholly impractical. The protective sleeve must be cut in various locations and installed in several segments. Up to twenty fittings and clamps must be used and these components cannot be tested until the protective sleeve is fully installed on the hose. Accordingly, the system operates unreliably. If the hose segments or fittings are not properly and precisely fitted, potentially damaging leaks are still very likely to occur. Moreover, the protective sleeves must be wrapped completely about and secured to both the hose bib spout and the inlet of the washing machine. And the outer sleeve can be installed only after the inner hose is already interconnected between the hose bib and the appliance inlet. As a result, the Renner technique is a time consuming and tedious procedure that usually requires the expertise of an expensive professional plumber.
To overcome the foregoing problems, we have developed a number of safety hoses employing inner and outer hose sections for trapping water that leaks from the inner hose section within the outer hose section. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,931,184.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simplified safety hose apparatus that eliminates the time and effort of installing a separate and distinct seal or closure at each end of the apparatus.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a double wall safety hose that may be installed quickly and effortlessly by the homeowner or other user of the hose and which does not require additional steps to seal the ends of the hose after the hose is connected to the hose bib and the appliance or plumbing fixture.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose that is relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a universal safety hose apparatus that comprises a fully factory assembled product, which may be installed quickly and conveniently on a wide variety of appliances and plumbing fixtures, including but not limited to washing machines and dishwashers.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that employs a relatively simple, uncomplicated and inexpensive construction requiring no clamps and only a single continuous length of outer hose.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that operates effectively and reliably to prevent water leaks and the potentially catastrophic and expensive damage caused thereby.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that is conveniently assembled and pressure tested at the factory so that installation is facilitated and consistently reliable and relatively fail-safe operation is achieved.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus employing a protective outer hose or sleeve that is never under significant water pressure and which thereby resists rupturing.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that employs an outer sleeve or hose which is not attached directly to either the hose bib or the appliance inlet so that installation of the apparatus is facilitated considerably.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a safety hose apparatus that is easily and inexpensively installed, even by homeowners and lay persons having no plumbing expertise.
This invention results from a realization that a pre-assembled, double wall safety hose may be constructed simply and inexpensively by sealably securing an elongate outer hose at each end to a respective closure through the use of an interengaging lip and shoulder formed on the hose and closure respectively. Each closure may include a ferrule that is crimped and sealed against a corresponding end of an elongate inner hose and thereby forms a simple and effective seal. Water leaking from the inner hose wall is effectively retained by the outer hose.
This invention features a double wall safety hose apparatus for delivering water from a threaded spout of a hose bib to a threaded appliance inlet or plumbing fixture. The apparatus includes an inner hose having threaded connectors attached rotatably at each end thereof for securing the inner hose to a threaded water spout and a threaded appliance inlet or plumbing fixture, respectively. A generally cylindrical closure component or ferrule is disposed about a first end of the hose in snug or a crimped, sealing interengagement therewith. A second generally cylindrical ferrule is likewise interengaged with the opposite end of the inner hose. Each end of the inner hose is rotatably interconnected to a respective threaded connector by a tubular element or stem that communicably interengages the hose. The tubular element extends through an opening in the threaded connector and has a radial flange that interengages the threaded connector and permits the connector to rotate on the tubular element. A first portion of the cylindrical ferrule is crimped or otherwise urged radially inwardly to sandwich and sealingly interengage the corresponding end of the inner hose between the ferrule and the tubular element. A second portion or shoulder of each ferrule is gripped and sealingly interengaged by a corresponding end of the outer hose such that corresponding ends of the inner and outer hoses are closed. As a result, each end of the safety hose is or sealed so that if a leak occurs in the wall of the inner hose, the leaking water is contained within the space between the inner and outer hoses. A drain port is typically connected to the outer hose to discharge this water into a conventional drain line. A very significant feature of this invention is that the threaded connectors are peripherally exposed by the inner and outer hoses at all times. This permits unhindered rotation of the threaded connectors relative to the outer hose so that the connectors may be threadably engaged with and disengaged from the spout and appliance inlet as needed.
In a preferred embodiment, the second ferrule portion may feature a larger diameter than the first ferrule portion. The second ferrule portion may have a smooth uncrimped outer surface.